CHRISTMAS AT PAPER CHASE FARM........

I ALWAYS WANTED A CHRISTMAS HOUSE....
A HOUSE THAT WAS MEANT TO BE DECORATED FOR
CHRISTMAS....

I HADN'T DECORATED IN OVER TEN YEARS SINCE WE SPENT
EVERY CHRISTMAS IN JERSEY WITH DAUGHTER AND
FAMILY....

BUT WHEN WE MOVED INTO PAPER CHASE FARM LAST YEAR
IT WAS TIME TO BREAK OUT YEARS OF PACKED
AWAY ORNAMENTS AND OTHER CHRISTMAS GOODIES...

THIS YEAR I TALKED THE BOSS INTO PUTTING UP THE TREE
IN OUR ENTRANCE HALL....
HE EVEN ADMITS THIS AREA WAS MADE FOR A
CHRISTMAS TREE...

NOTICE THE DEER.....
JUST HUNG TODAY AFTER WE HAD A MAJOR DISASTER
TRYING TO HANG MY BELOVED MOOSE HEAD....
STORY ABOUT HIS DEMISE AT ANOTHER TIME...

THE ENTRANCE TABLE.....
GREAT FRENCHY VASE FOUND AT THE
POTTERY BARN OUTLET...

PART OF MY MILK GLASS COLLECTION...
LOOKING BEAUTIFUL THIS TIME OF YEAR DECKED OUT IN
RED AND GREEN...

JUST A FEW OF MY OVER 100 PIECE COLLECTION

MY TABLE SET FOR MY BLOG LUNCH THIS COMING
MONDAY....
PICTURES TO FOLLOW OF US LADIES CELEBRATING NOT
ONLY THE HOLIDAY BUT ON BECOMING FRIENDS
THROUGH THE MIRACLE OF BLOGGING....

HINTING AT WHERE THIS FAMILY WILL BE SPENDING THE
HOLIDAYS....

OH WAIT......HOW DID MISS LIBERTY GET A SPOT OF HONOR
ON THE TABLESCAPE....

WELL....WE ARE STARTING OUT IN NYC......
FOR CHRISTMAS WITH OUR GIRLS...

AND THEN US FOUR FLY OFF TO PARIS
FOR NEW YEARS EVE....
MISS "B" IS EVEN TAKING FRENCH CLASSES SO SHE
CAN BE OUR INTERPRETER.....
THAT IS IF WE NEED TO KNOW COLORS AND NUMBERS...
AND SHE CAN INTRODUCE HERSELF IN FRENCH TOO!!

PAST YEARS ORNAMENTS FROM "MISS CHATTY CRONE"
EVERY BODY'S FAVORITE DAILY BLOGGER....
SHE WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE ON MONDAY...

POTTERY BARN FROM A PAST YEAR..... 

THE KITCHEN TABLE DECKED OUT IN
SNOWMEN....

NOT LIKELY OF ANY SNOW IN GEORGIA SO THESE
ARE THE CLOSEST WE WILL GET TO
SNOWMEN...

SOFA TABLE IN THE GREAT ROOM....

PINE CONES AND MISS LIBERTY......
MY FAVORITE BUD FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL.....SUE FROM JERSEY
JUST SENT ME THAT GREAT BLACK GLOBE.....
SHE ACTUALLY PAYS ATTENTION TO MY OBSESSIONS AND
SENDS ME WONDERFUL GOODIES ALL THE TIME....
THANK YOU SUE!!

A LITTLE WORN AROUND THE EDGES BUT
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES...

ON THE COFFEE TABLE....
MORE GLOBES!

ON THE HEARTH.....
PINE CONE ANDIRONS....

NUTCRACKERS!!

AT ONE TIME I HAD ABOUT 75 NUTCRACKERS.....
AND THEN I DISCOVERED E-BAY....
 I KEPT A FEW.....SHOULD HAVE KEPT MORE...

THE FIREPLACE.....
THE BEST THING WE HAVE EVER BOUGHT....
GAS LOGS....
YES THEY DO GET HOT ENOUGH TO WARM THE ROOM....
NO CLEAN UP....NO SOOT.....ONE TURN OF THE KNOB...AND I DON'T
MISS THAT REAL FIRE SMELL....

NO BIG SCREEN FOR ME IN THIS ROOM.....I HAVE A SMALL 17"
T.V. TUNED IN TO "BRAVO" ON THE BOOKSHELVES...
THAT'S ALL I NEED....
A NICE FIRE AND THE "HOUSEWIVES"

LOOKING FROM THE FAMILY ROOM INTO THE
ENTRANCE FOYER... 

ONE LAST LOOK AT THE TABLE IN THE
DINING ROOM....

MAYBE TWO..... 

CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY SOME THINGS LOOK CROOKED....
IT'S LIKE DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE....
IN MY CASE IT'S
DON'T EAT SPAGHETTI THEN PHOTOGRAPH....

THIS IS THE HUNT TABLE THAT THE BOSS REFUSED TO MOVE LAST YEAR
THIS USUALLY SITS WHERE THE TREE IS THIS YEAR...

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY LITTLE TOUR.....
I WAITED OVER 40 YEARS FOR A
"CHRISTMAS HOUSE"....
I THINK I GOT IT!!

I AM LINKING TO KIM'S 
"SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE HOMESPUN CHRISTMAS
VIGNETTES AND MANTELS...."
APPLE IS BEING UNCOOPERATIVE IN PUTTING HER LOVELY
BUTTON ON THIS PAGE
BUT PLEASE HIT LINK BELOW TO SEE ALL THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL
BLOG POSTS....

http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2012/12/a-homespun-christmasvignettes-and.html

FYI.....LET'S TALK ABOUT BOOBS.

NO.....WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT "THOSE" BOOBS.....
YOU KNOW THOSE MEN THAT THINK WOMEN HAVE IT BETTER THEN
THEY DO.....THOSE BOOBS THAT REFUSE TO GO SEE A DOCTOR
NO MATTER HOW SICK THEY ARE.....BECAUSE THEY ARE TOUGH...
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TOUGH IS....
NOPE....TALKING ABOUT OUR BOOBS....
THOSE TWO THINGS WE HAVE THAT MAKE IT HARD TO FIND A
STRAPLESS BRA THAT WILL ACTUALLY STAY UP WHERE IT BELONGS
NO MATTER HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL THOSE BOOBS ARE....
YOU FIND YOURSELF OUT IN PUBLIC AND WONDER WHY PEOPLE YOU
ARE TALKING TO ARE STARING AT YOUR CHEST....WHILE YOUR
STOMACH SEEMS TO HAVE GROWN A LUMPY INNER TUBE....
BUT THAT WILL BE A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME...

I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS MACHINE......
THE ONE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR IN A
"PANINI PRESS"
ONLY YOU COME AWAY WITHOUT THOSE DECORATIVE GRILL MARKS....
WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE IT DONE ONCE A YEAR LIKE CLOCK WORK
AND FOR THE MOST PART WE ALL HATE TO GO....
WHO WOULD ENJOY GETTING A BODY PART SQUEEZED IN A VISE.....
WELL....MAYBE SOME MEN BUT LET'S NOT GET INTO THAT
I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE
MAMMOGRAM VERSUS THE ULTRA SOUND....

I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO READ THIS IF THIS WILL ONLY HELP ONE PERSON FROM
GOING THROUGH WHAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH YESTERDAY.....
I KNOW I CAN NOT BE ALONE WITH THIS ONE...
I WALKED IN TO THE IMAGING CENTER  PROMPTLY AT
1:00 P.M. FOR MY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT....
TO WHICH I TOLD THREE PEOPLE AT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES THAT
I WOULD BE BRINGING IN ORDERS FROM MY DOCTOR TO DO
AN ULTRASOUND INSTEAD OF THE TYPICAL MAMMOGRAM..
I HAVE A SMALL PROBLEM WITH ONE ARM....IT WILL NOT RAISE SINCE I
BLEW OUT MY BICEP MUSCLE....ALONG WITH
NASTY SCAR TISSUE AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER ISSUES..
ONE SMALL PROBLEM......THEY SAID NO......NO YOU CAN'T HAVE
DONE WHAT THE DOCTOR IS ORDERING....
YOU "MUST" HAVE THE MAMMOGRAM FIRST AND THEN IF WE SEE
SOMETHING WRONG THEN YOU CAN HAVE THE ULTRASOUND...

WHAT?????????
THE OFFICE MANAGER QUICKLY TOOK ME OFF TO THE SIDE
LIKE I WAS THERE BEING TREATED FOR LEPROSY AND JUST
BEGAN TO APOLOGIZE.....FOR WHAT I DON'T KNOW....
IT SEEMS THE RADIOLOGIST WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD
"APPROVE" OF THIS REQUEST AND THAT IT'S JUST NEVER DONE....
EVER.....
OH THEY TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME ONCE AGAIN ABOUT
GETTING IT DONE FIRST AND THEN HAVING THE ULTRASOUND...
THEY SUGGESTED I ONLY HAVE THE NON-INJURED SIDE DONE
LEAVING THE OTHER BOOB OUT IN THE COLD....

I HAD TO MAKE THIS APPOINTMENT ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY AND
TIME BECAUSE "MR RADIOLOGIST" WAS ONLY THERE ON
TUESDAYS....AND ONCE AGAIN THIS BOOB WAS THE FINAL SAY....
OF COURSE "SAID BOOB" WAS OUT TO LUNCH BETWEEN 1:00 AND 2:00
AND MY APPOINTMENT WAS AT 1:00....

SO THEY HAVE ME COOLING MY HEELS OR SHOULD I SAY BOOBS
IN THEIR LITTLE PRE-WAITING ROOM TO SEE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DECIDE.
AT WHICH POINT I SAID TO THEM....
"ISN'T HAVING AN ULTRASOUND BETTER THEN HAVING NOTHING
AT ALL?"
I MEAN YOUR READY TO HAVE ME WALK OUT BECAUSE
THE MAMMOGRAM IS MUCH BETTER THEN AN ULTRASOUND
DESPITE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE MAMMOGRAM FIRST
AND THEN "IF" THERE IS A PROBLEM......
THEY FOLLOW UP WITH AN ULTRASOUND.....
THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME AT ALL....
NOW I KNOW THAT I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH
JERSEY NUNZE AND SHE GETS THE ULTRASOUND SO
I KNEW THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE....
I E-MAILED MY LAWYER-ON-RETAINER.....THE DAUGHTER
ASKING HER ADVISE...
GET NAMES....ALWAYS GET NAMES....
I FELT LIKE GEORGE KELLERMAN IN THE "OUT OF TOWNERS"
I WAS READY TO GO HOME AND PROMPTLY REPORT EVERYONE
INVOLVED.....

ONCE I ASKED FOR THE NAME OF MR RADIOLOGY THINGS SEEMED
TO HAVE CHANGED.....A LOT OF APOLOGIZES FROM THE STAFF
AND THE WORD CAME OUT THAT YES THEY WOULD DO WHAT "I" WANTED
AND THEY WOULD "ALLOW" ME TO HAVE AN ULTRASOUND....
LIKE THEY WERE DOING ME A PERSONAL FAVOR...
AT WHICH TIME..... BEING JERSEY SNARKY....... I POINTED OUT
THAT IT WAS NOT ME WHO WANTED THIS DONE IT WAS DOCTORS
ORDERS....

THREE HOURS LATER......
I HAD ONE BOOB SQUEEZED IN THE MAMMO MACHINE.....
AND THE OTHER ONE SAVED BY THE GENTLE MASSAGE OF
THE ULTRASOUND MACHINE....
THEY GOT PERFECT READINGS ON BOTH AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY
EVERYTHING IS FINE....IT WAS MY LUCKY DAY BECAUSE
MR. RADIOLOGY WAS ABLE TO TELL ME RIGHT AWAY THAT ALL WAS
WELL.....SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

SO NEXT TIME YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME INVASIVE TEST DONE
AND THERE IS SOME REASON WHY YOU CAN'T....DON'T HAVE ANYONE
TELL YOU IT CAN'T BE DONE......CAUSE A FUSS.....ASK FOR NAMES...
TALK LOUD SO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WAITING AREA CAN HEAR YOU...
GET ON YOUR CELL PHONE WITH A FRIEND OR RELATIVE AND AGAIN COMPLAIN LOUDLY.....
BUT DON'T HAVE SOME STRANGER TELL YOU WHAT YOU
"HAVE TO HAVE DONE"....
IF YOU FEEL IT JUST ISN'T RIGHT FOR YOU....
THERE SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION....
YOU JUST MIGHT HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT....

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT.....

AND I JUST THREW IN THIS PICTURE BECAUSE
THIS IS WHAT A MAN WOULD LOOK LIKE IN OUR POSITION.....
PRETTY PITIFUL DON'T YOU THINK.....

KEEP HEALTHY OUT THERE LADIES!!

JERSEY CRUMB BUNS........or crumb cake to the rest of the country.

THIS POST IS FOR ALL MY JERSEY PEEPS WHO HAVE WEATHERED OUT
THE STORM.....SOME STILL WITH NO POWER HAVING NO HOT
 WATER AND SITTING IN THE COLD AND DARK AT NIGHT....

THEY ARE A RESILIENT BUNCH AND I KNOW WE ALL SEND OUT LOVE
AND THOUGHTS TO ALL OUR BLOG FRIENDS IN
NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK.....
SO I THOUGHT IN HONOR OF THEM I WOULD SHARE ONE OF OUR
FINEST SUNDAY MORNING TREATS THAT I HAVE BEEN
ENJOYING FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN ALIVE....
THE INFAMOUS "JERSEY CRUMB BUN"
TRY TO SAY THAT FAST IT'S VERY HARD TO DO....
THE REST OF THE WORLD KNOWS IT AS CRUMB CAKE...
IN JERSEY IT'S A "BUN"

THIS RECIPE IS THE FINEST YOU WILL EVER FIND....AND THE FUNNY PART
ABOUT IT IS THE RECIPE COMES FROM SARA FOSTER OF
FOSTER'S MARKET IN RALEIGH-DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA....
CERTAINLY NO JERSEY GIRL.....
I MADE A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT IN HER RECIPE AND I DOUBLED UP ON
THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING....
BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CRUMBS!!!
I THINK MY NEIGHBOR LUCY....ALSO A JERSEY GIRL.....LOVES ME ONLY
FOR MY CRUMB CAKE......

HERE IS THE RECIPE......ENJOY!!

MAKES ONE 9 X 12 1/2 INCH CAKE......YOU CAN EASILY CUT THE RECIPE IN HALF AND BAKE IT IN AN 8X8 PAN....SAME BAKING TIME

2 TABLESPOONS OF CANOLA OIL

6 CUPS OF ALL PURPOSE FLOUR....PLUS MORE TO DUST THE PAN

1/2 CUP OF GRANULATED SUGAR

2 1/2 TEASPOONS OF BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON OF SALT

1 LARGE EGG

1/2 CUP OF MILK

2 TEASPOONS OF VANILLA EXTRACT

2 CUPS OF PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

3 TEASPOONS OF GOOD QUALITY GROUND CINNAMON

(I ORDER VIETNAMESE CINNAMON FROM KING ARTHUR FLOUR.... BUT RECENTLY FOUND IT AT SUR LA TABLE AT THE MALL)

3 STICKS OF BUTTER.....MELTED AND COOLED....

CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR FOR DUSTING....

DIRECTIONS.....

1.) PLACE RACK IN CENTER OF OVEN AND HEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES.....LIGHTLY SPRAY A 9X12 PAN WITH COOKING SPRAY....PLACE A PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER  IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN AND SPRAY AGAIN......DUST WITH A BIT OF FLOUR AND SHAKE OUT EXCESS....SET ASIDE.

IN A MEDIUM BOWL SIFT TOGETHER 1 1/2 CUPS OF FLOUR, GRANULATED SUGAR, BAKING POWDER AND SALT......SET ASIDE....

IN A SECOND BOWL WHISK TOGETHER THE EGG, MILK, CANOLA OIL AND THE VANILLA.....FOLD DRY INGREDIENTS INTO THE DRY MIXTURE....

2.) SPREAD BATTER EVENLY INTO PREPARED PAN AND SET ASIDE.....THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE BATTER ONCE YOU SPREAD IT OUT....REMEMBER IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CRUMBS....

IN A MEDIUM BOWL COMBINE THE REMAINING 4 1/2 CUPS OF FLOUR, THE BROWN SUGAR AND THE CINNAMON...POUR THE MELTED BUTTER OVER THE THE FLOUR MIXTURE AND TOSS WITH A SPATULA UNTIL LARGE CRUMBS FORM....YOU WANT THE CRUMBS TO HAVE ENOUGH BUTTER SO THEY ARE NOT DRY CRUMBS.......IF YOU NEED TO ADD MORE BUTTER ADD IT.....USE YOUR HANDS IF YOU HAVE TO.....SPRINKLE OVER THE BATTER IN LARGE LUMPS TO COVER ALL THE BATTER.....

YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME CRUMBS LEFT BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BATTER IS COMPLETELY AND HEAVILY COVERING THE BATTER...

EXCEPT FOR THE BOTTOM CAKE THE REST IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE...AND THAT'S ACCORDING TO ME.....NOT SARA FOSTER....

YOU DON'T WANT THE BATTER TO BAKE UP THROUGH THE CRUMBS....THE CRUMBS ARE SUPPOSE TO FALL INTO THE BATTER FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

DON'T SKIMP!!!

3.) TRANSFER PAN TO THE OVEN AND BAKE ROTATING PAN AFTER TEN MINUTES....

CONTINUE BAKING ABOUT ANOTHER TEN MINUTES OR UNTIL A TESTER COMES OUT CLEAN....

4.) TRANSFER BAKING PAN TO  WIRE RACK TO COOL...DUST WITH CONFECTIONERS SUGAR....USING A SERRATED KNIFE OR A BENCH SCRAPER CUT INTO 3 INCH SQUARES....CAN BE STORED IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER FOR UP TO THREE DAYS...

MAKE YOURSELF A CUP OF COFFEE OR TEA......IF YOUR GAME SPREAD THE BUN WITH SOME GOOD BUTTER.....AND ENJOY

"THE JERSEY SUNDAY BUN EXPERIENCE"